I said, “Scott, I’ve tried Brooklyn Lager but I’m interested in an ale, not a lager.”

Unswayed, he said, “I’d stock a pale ale but the kegs are $169 each—which is a lot more than the others.”

“Scott,” I said, “I’ve never once stopped a bartender from pouring a beer in order to confirm the price beforehand. Neither will your customers.”

As our conversation ended, I made my way to the front of the room to deliver my remarks and noticed that he remained in the meeting room to hear my talk.

Later, when I returned to my hotel room following the presentation, I found an amenity from Scott containing a single bottle of ice cold Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. The accompanying note included a quote from the presentation: “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.”

That was in February. Just now, out of curiosity, I phoned the hotel bar in New York City to see if a pale ale was now being offered. Sure enough, this spring they added a tap for Captain Lawrence Pale Ale.